they nationalized the national guard, the fbi. the establishment in washington, including the owner of the "washington post" just felt there was going to be chaos throughout the city. restaurants closed, retail shops closed. the government closed. employees were told to stay home. and the only person really who caught it, who understood what was going to happen was the comedian, gregory. he said, i'm telling you, he said i know all the senators and congressmen in the place is going to be put on fire. but he said it's going to be a sunday picnic. and it was a sunday picnic. 250,000 people gathered in the nation's capitol. they came in by bus, by train, by charter planes. one guy rollerskate at from chicago. and it was a sunday pic name. the president had refused to attend and he would meet with the leaders before hand. he wouldn't speak at the lincoln memorial. but he did invite the leaders to come to the white house after the whole thing was over. president kennedy was absolutely ecstatic. he was so pleased by the march on washing